Latest Report | Participation Agreement | API | Validation | Encryption
[last updated: May 22, 2020]
The leaderboard has been updated to list the most accurate developers rather than algorithms, choosing the most accurate algorithm from each developer based on visa and mugshot results. The algorithms are ordered in terms of lowest mean rank across four datasets, calculated using FNMR @ FMR = 0.000001 VISA, FNMR @ FMR = 0.000001 VISABORDER, FNMR @ FMR = 0.00001 DT>=12YRS MUGSHOT, and FNMR @ FMR = 0.00001 WILD. For algorithms with missing FNMR values, the FNMR value is 1.0, and the rank is a big number (~the number of algorithms in the table). This rewards broad accuracy over a good result on one particular dataset.
The leaderboard shows the top performing 1:1 algorithms measured on false non-match rate (FNMR) across several different datasets. FNMR is the proportion of mated comparisons below a threshold set to achieve the false match rate (FMR) specified. FMR is the proportion of impostor comparisons at or above that threshold.
Additional algorithms not listed in the leaderboard can be found in Table 2 of our latest FRVT report. It is a draft made available for comments. It will be updated on a monthly basis as algorithms and computations complete, as datasets are added, and as new analyses are developed.All prior Ongoing FRVT 1:1 reports can be accessed from here.
NIST started a new evaluation of face recognition technologies in February 2017. Unlike previous evaluations, the activity is conducted on an ongoing basis in that the evaluation remains open indefinitely such that developers may submit their algorithms to NIST whenever they are ready, but no more frequently than four calendar months. The algorithms will be evaluated rapidly on a first-come-first-served basis, following our MINEX III evaluation of fingerprint recognition implementations. Performance results will be posted to the NIST website as soon as they are ready. This approach more closely aligns evaluation with development schedules; this improves over the two to four year interval between past FRVT tests.
The FRVT is aimed at measurement of the performance of automated face recognition technologies applied to a wide range of civil, law enforcement and homeland security applications including verification of visa images, de-duplication of passports, recognition across photojournalism images, and identification of child exploitation victims. In all cases the input image will contain one face only. Our performance reports will include measurements of accuracy, speed, storage and memory consumption, and resilience. NIST will report the dependence of performance on the properties of the images and the subjects. In its initial form, FRVT has one assessment track, for face verification.
To participate in this evaluation, developers need to submit a participation agreement to NIST, wrap their software behind the published C++ API, run their libraries through the provided validation package (which creates a submission package), encrypt the package, and provide a download link for the encrypted submission package. More details are provided below.
FRVT is conducted by NIST, an agency of the United States Government. Participation is free of charge. FRVT is open to a global audience of face recognition developers. All organizations who seek to participate in FRVT must sign and submit all pages of this Participation Agreement.
Note: In addition to the terms of the Participation Agreement 1) all correspondence from the provider to NIST must come from an organizational email address of the participating entity – no generic emails from gmail.com, mail.ru, qq.com, etc. will be accepted; 2) the point of contact listed in the participation agreement must specify an organizational email address; 3) the organization must have a non-trivial web presence. [last update: 2018-01-09]
A new API document has been published. It removes the training option, which received little developer interest and was never exercised, along with consolidation of supporting structures common across all FRVT APIs. All FRVT APIs reference the supporting FRVT General Evaluation Specifications, which includes hardware and operating system environment, software requirements, reporting, and common data structures that support the APIs. [last update: 2019-04-01]
An updated validation package has been published. All participants must run their software through the updated validation package prior to submission. The purpose of validation is to ensure consistent algorithm output between your execution and NIST’s execution. Note: The provider identifier in the core implementation library must be an appropriate, representative, non-infringing name of the main provider of the software. If the provider identifier is not representative of the submitting organization, NIST reserves the right to reject the submission for testing. [last update: 2019-04-02]
All submissions must be properly encrypted and signed before transmission to NIST. This must be done according to these instructions using the FRVT Ongoing public key linked from this page. Participants must email their public key to NIST. The participant’s public key must correspond to the participant’s public-key fingerprint provided on the signed Participation Agreement. [last update: 2017-09-11]
Encrypted files below 20MB can be emailed to NIST at frvt@nist.gov. Encrypted files above 20MB can be provided as a download link from a generic http webserver (e.g., Google Drive). We cannot accept Dropbox links. NIST will not register, or establish any kind of membership, on the provided website. Participants can submit their algorithm(s) as soon as the signed participation agreement is sent to NIST. There is no need to wait for NIST confirmation of the received agreement. Participants must subscribe to the FRVT mailing list to receive emails when new reports are published or announcements are made. [last update: 2020-03-27]
Inquiries and comments may be submitted to frvt@nist.gov.
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